Stretch after a workout—not before.
fitbody Gently stretch quadriceps, calves and
hamstrings.
by Maggie Spilner
Lean slightly forward as you climb. But
keep your back straight and your head
in alignment.
Keep your knees soft. Don’t lock them
Stair
out as you push up.
Try intervals. This is a perfect workout
Climbing
for interval training, which studies like
those conducted at The University of
Fast + Efficient
Alabama and Southern Connecticut
+ Age-defying
State University show gets one fit faster.
Work hard, then back off a bit, then go
for it again. This comes naturally with
stair climbing, as you tend to get out of
maintain without gasping for breath. I
breath anyway and need to kick back.
start at level one and move up to level
Stair climbing ups
four, and in five minutes my heart rate
Drink up afterwards. This is a challeng-
the ante of a workout. is in my target zone of 70 percent of its
ing workout and you need to rehydrate.
maximum, a feat I rarely reach when
W
onderful walks are both walking on a treadmill.
Be careful going down. If you must
relaxing and invigorating, but Plus, you don’t have to trudge away
walk back down stairs, take your time;
if you want to kick butt, liter- at those stairs for 30 minutes. As Wescott
step down deliberately and carefully
ally—building strong glutes and thighs; points out, it’s better to break up the
and use the handrails to take pressure
strengthening your core, which helps day’s 30-minute workout into three 10-
off your knees. People with arthritis or
improve posture and tighten abs; and minute sessions. That’s because the body
other painful inflammation of the knee
stepping up to cardiovascular fitness builds cardiovascular endurance during
should avoid going down stairs.
quickly and efficiently—try stair climb- its recovery mode. Three shorter work-
ing. Wayne Wescott, Ph.D., renowned outs deliver three recovery periods, and
While I love walking for regular
exercise physiologist, military fitness the workout is less daunting.
exercise, mentally, it’s easier to tackle
consultant and author of Get Stronger, Neither of my stair workouts
some stairs to boost my heart, rather
Feel Younger, states that climbing stairs requires me to go down stairs, which
than focus on walking fast, which takes
is one of the more vigorous cardiovas- can be hard on joints, ligaments and
more concentration. Consider the com-
cular workouts you can do. tendons. In an office building, you can
parative calorie burn: In a 150-pound
Pushing your whole body weight climb up the stairs and recover while
person, 10 minutes of moderately brisk,
up vertically burns lots of calories and taking the elevator back down. Then,
3-miles-per-hour walking burns about
uses lots of energy quickly. I often why not make another ascent? While
40 calories, while 10 minutes of run-
advise flatlanders to find some stairs in waiting for the elevator, or any time vig-
ning up stairs burns 179.
an office building or stadium and climb orous exercise has elevated heart rate,
Be sure to warm up and cool down
them regularly to strengthen their legs be sure to walk around to ease yourself
for five to 10 minutes before and after
and increase their endurance. back into recovery mode. When hiking
any workout. And always check with a
Although I have a one-story house, hills, it also helps to use walking poles,
physician before undertaking a vigorous
I have found two stair workouts I like which serves to take the weight off of
activity like stair climbing. Then go out
to play with. On one, I walk about two knees when going downhill.
and have some good-hearted fun.
miles on a wooded path by the river to Here are more of Wescott’s tips
a triple flight of stairs that takes me onto that prove helpful:
Maggie Spilner has been writing about
a bridge where I can then double back health and fitness for 25 years, including
to my car along shaded city streets. It’s Wear good running or cross-training 17 as an editor at Prevention Magazine.
my mini-Mount Everest and it really or walking shoes for good support. You
Her books include Prevention’s Complete
perks up the entire workout. can save your knee joints from damage
Book of Walking for Health and Walk Your
For a more steady and challenging
Way Through Menopause. See Walking-
by wearing the right shoes.
ForAllSeasons.com for information on
stair workout, I use a Stairmaster at the
Spilner’s walking vacations.
gym, the kind with an actual revolv- Warm up first. Walk around for a few
ing staircase. The trick is to start out minutes before starting an ascent or Source: Adapted from StopAgingNow.
slowly and find a pace that you can jumping on a machine. com.
26 Houston
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